Method for joining fabric panels and manufacturing brassieres

ABSTRACT

A method of manufacturing a breast cup of a brassiere may include the steps of providing a pad including a first edge portion and a second edge portion, providing a fabric cover including a third edge portion and a fourth edge portion, superimposing the first and third edge portions, connecting the superimposed first and third edge portions together, superimposing the second and fourth edge portions, connecting the superimposed second and fourth edge portions together, ultrasonically cutting and fusing the connected first and third edge portions to form a first line of fusion joining the pad and the fabric cover, ultrasonically cutting and fusing the connected second and fourth edge portions to form a second line of fusion joining the pad and the fabric cover, and turning the joined pad and fabric cover inside out along the first and second lines of fusion to form seamless edges.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

Pursuant to 35 U.S.C. 119(e), this application claims priority to U.S.Provisional Application No. 60/811,785, filed Jun. 8, 2006, the contentsof which are hereby incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

In the garment industry, it is often necessary to joining fabric panelstogether by stitching using a sewing machine. For instance, themanufacture of brassieres commonly requires providing breast cups, eachof which is usually formed by sewing two fabric panels together alongtheir outer peripheries, where one of the panels will become the outerlayer and the other will become the inner layer of the finished breastcup. These two fabric panels require a common seam to produce a desiredcontour for the cup. By sewing these two fabric panels together alongtheir outer peripheries, a double-layered support cup for a brassieremay be formed. The inner layer is typically in the form of a cup-shapedpad made of a fabric selected for its comfort, whereas the outer layeris decorative and may be made of a fabric having a pleasing outerappearance, such as lace.

However, when the outer peripheries of the two fabric panels are sewedtogether, bulky and prominent seam allowances are formed along the outerperipheries. These bulky and prominent seam allowances of the breastcups can be uncomfortable and aesthetically undesirable. Hence, it isdesirable to produce garment articles that are comfortable andaesthetically desirable.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,805,610 discloses a brassiere that incorporates seamlessbreast cups featuring a negligible amount of stitching joining varioussections of the brassiere together. This patent also discloses a methodof manufacturing a brassiere featuring the steps of laminating a firstsheet of molded foam material and a second coextensive sheet of foammaterial directly to each other, and affixing two molded flexible breastcups to a chest band core. However, different molds are necessary tomanufacture breast cups of different shapes. This substantiallyincreases the manufacturing costs. Therefore, there is a need to providean improved method for manufacturing a breast cup of a brassiere thatoffers reduced cost and simplicity, as well as flexibility.

SUMMARY

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided amethod of joining fabric panels to manufacture an article of apparel,which may include the steps of providing a first fabric panel and asecond fabric panel, overlapping said first and second fabric panels toform a superimposed peripheral portion, connecting said first and secondfabric panels together at said superimposed peripheral portion,ultrasonically cutting and fusing the connected first and second fabricpanels at said superimposed peripheral portion to form a line of fusionjoining said first and second fabric panels, and turning said joinedfirst and second fabric panels inside and out along said line of fusionto form a seamless edge.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provideda method of manufacturing a breast cup of a brassiere, which may includethe steps of providing a pad including a first edge portion and a secondedge portion, providing a fabric cover including a third edge portionand a fourth edge portion, superimposing said first and third edgeportions, connecting said superimposed first and third edge portionstogether, superimposing said second and fourth edge portions, connectingsaid superimposed second and fourth edge portions together,ultrasonically cutting and fusing said connected first and third edgeportions to form a first line of fusion joining said pad and said fabriccover, ultrasonically cutting and fusing said connected second andfourth edge portions to form a second line of fusion joining said padand said fabric cover, and turning said joined pad and fabric coverinside out along said first and second lines of fusion to form seamlessedges.

According to a further aspect of the present invention, there isprovided a breast cup that includes a pad and a fabric cover attached tothe pad with seamless edges.

According to a further aspect of the present invention, there isprovided a brassiere that includes two of the breast cups affixed toeach other, to a back band, and to shoulder straps.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view depicting the first step of joining twofabric panels together to manufacture an article of appeal.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view depicting the second step of joiningtwo fabric panels together to manufacture an article of appeal.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view depicting the third step of joining twofabric panels together to manufacture an article of appeal.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view depicting the fourth step of joiningtwo fabric panels together to manufacture an article of appeal.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view depicting the fifth step of joining twofabric panels together to manufacture an article of appeal.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view depicting the sixth step of joining twofabric panels together to manufacture an article of appeal.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view depicting the seventh step of joiningtwo fabric panels together to manufacture an article of appeal.

FIG. 8 depicts a partial perspective view of two fabric panels beingjoined together by ultrasonic cutting and fusion.

FIG. 9 depicts a partial perspective view of the panels of FIG. 8 beingturned inside out along a line of fusion.

FIG. 10 is a front view depicting the first step of manufacturing abreast cup of a brassiere.

FIG. 11 is a front view depicting the second step of manufacturing abreast cup of a brassiere.

FIG. 12 is a front view depicting the third step of manufacturing abreast cup of a brassiere.

FIG. 13 is a front view depicting the fourth step of manufacturing abreast cup of a brassiere.

FIG. 14 is a front view depicting the fifth step of manufacturing abreast cup of a brassiere.

FIG. 15 is a front view depicting the sixth step of manufacturing abreast cup of a brassiere.

FIG. 16 is a front view depicting the seventh step of manufacturing abreast cup of a brassiere.

FIG. 17 depicts a breast cup of a brassiere formed by the method ofFIGS. 10 to 16.

FIG. 18 depicts an enlarged view showing a marginal edge of the breastcup of FIG. 17.

FIG. 19 depicts an image of a breast cup being form from an ultrasoniccutting and fusing machine.

FIG. 20 depicts another image of applying ultrasonic cutting and fusionto produce a breast cup using an ultrasonic cutting and fusing machine.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference will now be made in detail to a particular embodiment of theinvention, examples of which are also provided in the followingdescription. Exemplary embodiments of the invention are described indetail, although it will be apparent to those skilled in the relevantart that some features that are not particularly important to anunderstanding of the invention may not be shown for the sake of clarity.

Furthermore, it should be understood that the invention is not limitedto the precise embodiments described below and that various changes andmodifications thereof may be effected by one skilled in the art withoutdeparting from the spirit or scope of the invention. For example,elements and/or features of different illustrative embodiments may becombined with each other and/or substituted for each other within thescope of this disclosure and appended claims. In addition, improvementsand modifications which may become apparent to persons of ordinary skillin the art after reading this disclosure, the drawings, and the appendedclaims are deemed within the spirit and scope of the present invention.

A method of joining two fabric panels for the manufacture of an articleof apparel may include the steps of providing a first fabric panel 20and a second fabric panel 22, overlapping the first 20 and second 22fabric panels to form a superimposed peripheral portion, connecting thefirst and second fabric panels together at the superimposed peripheralportion, ultrasonically cutting and fusing the connected peripheralportions 20 a and 22 a to form a line of fusion 34 joining the first 20and second 22 fabric panels, and turning the joined first 20 and second22 fabric panels inside and out along the line of fusion 34 to form aseamless edge 36, as depicted in FIGS. 1 to 7.

As used herein the term “seam” means a line of junction formed by sewingtogether fabric panels along their margins. The term “seam allowance”means the portion of fabric between the fabric edge and the adjacentline of stitching.

As used herein the term “line of stitching” or “stitch line” means theline formed when fabric panels are joined together by stitches. The term“line of fusion” or “fusion line” means the line formed when fabricpanels are joined together by fusion, which is a procedure of joininglayers of fabric together by softening or melting the thermoplasticmaterial of the fabric layers by heat and subsequently solidifying whenthe application of heat is removed.

The first step includes providing a first fabric panel 20 and a secondfabric panel 22 each having a peripheral portion 20 a and 22 a, asdepicted in FIGS. 1 to 4. The first fabric panel 20 may have aperipheral portion 20 a, a peripheral edge 20 b, a first side 20 c andan opposing second side 20 d, as depicted in FIG. 1. The second fabricpanel 22 may have a peripheral portion 22 a and a peripheral edge 22 b,as depicted in FIG. 3. The fabric panels 20 and 22 independently may bemade of elastic and/or thermoplastic materials such as nylon, polyester,spandex, LYCRA®, foam, or combinations thereof. For example, a fabricpanel can be made of about 50% polyurethane (foam), about 46% nylon(first outer fabric), and about 4% spandex (second outer fabric).

The first step optionally may include providing a stabilizing strip 24and fixedly attaching the stabilizing strip 24 along the peripheralportion 20 a of the fabric panel 20 on the first side 20 c, as depictedin FIG. 2. The stabilizing strip 24 may be adhered to the peripheralportion 20 a by applying heat and/or pressure to a thin thermal adhesivefilm provided on the underside 24 a of the stabilizing strip 24. Thestabilizing strip 24 may be made of a substantially inelastic materialand may have a width of about 10 mm. For example, the stabilizing strip24 may be made of 100% nylon. For example, the thermal adhesive film maybe made of polyurethane. The stabilizing strip 24 may be used tostabilize the peripheral portion 20 a of the fabric panel 20, which maybe otherwise stretchable and easily deformable.

The second step includes overlapping the first 20 and second 22 fabricpanels and forming a superimposed peripheral portion, as depicted inFIG. 3. The first 20 and second 22 fabric panels may be placed in anoverlapping position such that the peripheral portions 20 a and 22 a arein a superimposed position and the peripheral edges 20 b and 22 b arealigned. Sheet materials of any nature may be sandwiched between thefabric panels. For example, sheet materials may include a thermoplasticmaterial.

The third step includes connecting the panels at the superimposedperipheral portion, for example, by stitching the superimposedperipheral portion to form a line of stitching 26, as depicted in FIG.4. The peripheral portions 20 a and 22 a and the stabilizing strip 24may be stitched together by a single stitching to form a seam or stitchline 26 and seam allowances 28. The stitch line 26 may be formed about 2to about 4 mm from the peripheral edges 20 b and 22 b. The stitchingstep is configured to prevent lateral movement of the fabrics relativeto each other. Methods other than stitching known to people withordinary skill in the art may also be satisfactorily used for thepurpose of preventing the lateral movement of the fabric layers. Anysewing machine may be used to carry out the stitching; however, otherequipment generally known to one of ordinary skill in the art may alsobe used.

The fourth step includes ultrasonically cutting and fusing the connectedperipheral portions 20 a and 22 a, for example, by ultrasonicallycutting and fusing the stitched peripheral portions 20 a and 22 a toremove the line of stitching 26, and to form a line of fusion 34 joiningthe first 20 and second 22 fabric panels, as depicted in FIG. 5. Theultrasonically cutting and fusing may be conducted along a line that isgenerally parallel to and spaced apart inwardly from the stitch line 26.The line of fusion 34, having a width of less than about 1 mm, may beformed about 4 to 7 mm from the peripheral edges 20 b and 22 b. Thefused marginal edge so formed may be substantially flat and smooth.

The fifth step includes turning the joined first 20 and second 22 fabricpanels inside out along the line of fusion 34 to form a seamless edge,as indicated by the arrow and depicted in FIGS. 6 and 7. The turning ofjoined first 20 and second 22 fabric panels inside out along the line offusion to form a seamless edge is a process referred to as being “baggedout” or “bagging out.”

The two fabric panels 20 and 22 being joined by the line of fusion 34are depicted in FIG. 7. By turning the two fabric panels 20 and 22inside out, rough outer fusion surfaces may be hidden between the twofabric panels 20 and 22 to expose only smooth inner surfaces of the twofabric panels 20 and 22 and to form the seamless edge 36. No prominentedge may be formed along the peripheral portions of the fabric panels 20and 22. It is noted that the actual thickness of the stabilizing strip24 a is minimal; the remaining stabilizing strip 24 a disposed betweenthe two fabric panels 20 and 22 as shown in FIG. 7 was exaggerated forillustration purposes only.

A partial perspective view of two fabric panels 20 and 22 being joinedtogether along the line of fusion 34 by ultrasonic cutting and fusingprocess is depicted in FIG. 8. A partial perspective view of the twofabric panels 20 and 22 of FIG. 8 being turned inside out along the lineof fusion 34 is depicted in FIG. 9. It can be seen that there is nostitch line or seam allowance along the marginal edge portion of the twojoined fabric panels 20 and 22. The line of fusion 34 is substantiallyinvisible after turning the two fabric panels 20 and 22 inside out.

The same steps described above in connection with joining two layers offabrics is applicable to processes involving joining a plurality offabric panels, where the fabric panels may be divided into two groupsfor turning inside out or being bagged out. The method offers simplicityas well as flexibility because it is not limited to the size or thenumber of the fabric panels.

A method of manufacturing a breast cup of a brassiere may include thesteps of providing a cup-shaped pad 50 having a first side 52, anopposing second side 54, a first edge portion 56, and a second edgeportion 58; providing a fabric cover 70 having a third edge portion 72and a fourth edge portion 74; placing the fabric cover 70 on the secondside 54 of the pad; superimposing the first 56 and third 72 edgeportions; stitching the superimposed first 56 and third 72 edge portionstogether to form a first line of stitching 76; superimposing the second58 and fourth 74 edge portions; stitching the superimposed second 58 andfourth 74 edge portions together to form a second line of stitching 78;ultrasonically cutting and fusing the stitched first 56 and third 72edge portions together to remove the first line of stitching 76 and toform a first line of fusion 90 joining the pad 50 and the fabric cover70; ultrasonically cutting and fusing the stitched second 58 and fourth74 edge portions together to remove the second line of stitching 78 andto form a second line of fusion 92 joining the pad 50 and the fabriccover 70; and turning the joined pad 50 and fabric cover 70 inside outalong the first 90 and second 92 lines of fusion to form seamless edges190 and 192, as depicted in FIGS. 10 to 16. The ultrasonically cuttingand fusing may be along the line that is generally parallel to andspaced apart inwardly from the first line of stitching 76 and along aline that is generally parallel to and spaced apart inwardly from thesecond line of stitching 78.

The first step includes providing a cup-shaped pad 50 having a firstside 52, an opposing second side 54, a first edge portion 56, and asecond edge portion 58, as depicted in FIG. 10. The first side 52 may bea front or convex side 52. The second side 54 may be a rear or concaveside. The first edge portion 56 may be a neckline edge portion. Thesecond edge portion 58 may be an underarm edge portion. The pad 50 mayalso have a bottom edge portion 60. The pad 50 may be made of elasticand/or thermoplastic materials such as nylon, polyester, spandex,LYCRA®, foam, or combinations thereof. For example, the pad 50 can bemade of about 50% polyurethane (foam), about 46% nylon (first outerfabric), and about 4% spandex (second outer fabric).

The first step optionally may include providing two stabilizing strips62 and 64, fixedly attaching the first stabilizing strip 62 along theedge portion 56 on the convex side of the pad 52, and fixedly attachingthe second stabilizing strip 64 along the edge portion 58 on the convexside of the pad 52, as depicted in FIG. 11. The stabilizing strips 62and 64 may be adhered to the edge portions 56 and 58, respectively, byapplying heat and/or pressure to a thin thermal adhesive film providedon the underside of each of the stabilizing strips 62 and 64. Thethermal adhesive film may be made of polyurethane.

The stabilizing strips 62 and 64 may have a width of about 10 mm and alength substantially the same as the length of the edge portions 56 and58. The stabilizing strips 62 and 64 independently may be made of asubstantially inelastic material such as 100% nylon. The stabilizingstrips 62 and 64 are configured to stabilize the first edge portion 56and the second edge portion 58 of the pad 50 that may be otherwisestretchable and deformable.

The second step includes providing a fabric cover 70 having a third edgeportion 72 and a fourth edge portion 74, as depicted in FIG. 12.

The third step includes placing the fabric cover 70 on the second side54 of the pad; superimposing the first 56 and third 72 edge portions;and connecting the superimposed first 56 and third 72 edge portionstogether, for example, by stitching the superimposed first 56 and third72 edge portions together to form a first line of stitching 76, asdepicted in FIG. 13. The pad 50 and the fabric cover 70 may be placed inan overlapping relationship such that the edge portion 56 of the pad 50and the edge portion 72 of the fabric cover 70 are superimposed. Thefabric cover 70 may be made of elastic and/or thermoplastic materialssuch as nylon, polyester, LYCRA®, spandex, or combinations thereof. Forexample, the fabric cover 70 can be made of about 72% nylon and about28% LYCRA®. The edge portions 56 and 72 and the optional stabilizingstrip 62 may be stitched together by a single stitching to form a firststitch line 76.

The fourth step includes superimposing the second 58 and fourth 74 edgeportions; and connecting the superimposed second 58 and fourth 74 edgeportions together, for example, by the stitching the superimposed second58 and fourth 74 edge portions together to form a second line ofstitching 78, as depicted in FIG. 13. The pad 50 and the fabric cover 70may be placed in an overlapping relationship such that the edge portion58 of the pad 50 and the edge portion 74 of the fabric cover 70 aresuperimposed. The edge portions 58 and 74 and the optional stabilizingstrip 64 may be stitched together by a single stitching to form a secondstitch line 78. The stitch lines 76 and 78 may be formed about 2 to 4 mmfrom the peripheral edges of the edge portions 56 and 58, respectively.Any sewing machine may be used to carry out the stitching; however,other equipment generally known to one of ordinary skill in the art mayalso be used.

The fifth step includes ultrasonically cutting and fusing the connectedfirst 56 and third 72 edge portions, for example, by ultrasonicallycutting and fusing the connected first 56 and third 72 edge portionstogether to remove the first line of stitching 76, and to form a firstline of fusion 90 joining the pad 50 and the fabric cover 70, asdepicted in FIG. 14. If optional stabilizing strip 62 is present, thefirst line of fusion joins the pad, the fabric cover, and thestabilizing strip. The ultrasonically cutting and fusing may beperformed along a line L1 that is generally parallel to and spaced apartinwardly from the stitch line 76.

The sixth step includes ultrasonically cutting and fusing the connectedsecond 58 and fourth 74 edge portions, for example, by ultrasonicallycutting and fusing the connected second 58 and fourth 74 edge portionstogether to remove the second line of stitching 78, and to form a secondline of fusion 92 joining the pad 50 and the fabric cover 70, asdepicted in FIG. 14. If optional stabilizing strip 64 is present, thesecond line of fusion 92 joins the pad 50, the fabric cover 70, and thestabilizing strip 64. The ultrasonically cutting and fusing may beperformed along a line L2 that is generally parallel to and spaced apartinwardly from the stitch line 78. The lines of fusion 90 and 92 may havea width of less than about 1 mm, and may be formed about 4 to 7 mm fromthe peripheral edges of the edge portions 56 and 58, respectively.

The seventh step includes turning the joined pad 50 and fabric cover 70inside out along the first 90 and second 92 lines of fusion to formseamless edges 190 and 192, as indicated by the arrows and depicted inFIGS. 15 and 16.

According to a further aspect of the present invention, there isprovided a brassiere containing a breast cup 100, as depicted in FIG.17. The breast cup 100 includes the pad 50 and the fabric cover 70 withseamless edges 290 and 292. The pad 50 may include an innerbreast-receiving layer and is preferably made of fabric selected for itscomfort to a woman wearing the brassiere, such as a thermoplasticmaterial. The fabric cover 70 may include an outer layer of the breastcup and may be made of a fabric that offers a pleasing color and outerappearance, such as elastic and/or thermoplastic material. Two breastcups 100 may be affixed to each other, to a back band and to shoulderstraps to form a brassiere.

An enlarged view of the fused edge of the breast cup 100 of FIG. 17 isdepicted in FIG. 18. The breast cup 100 may have fused edges 290 and 292of less than about 1 mm in width. The breast cup 100 is free of bulkyand prominent seam allowances or stitch lines. This substantiallyimproves the overall appearance and comfort of a brassiere containingthe breast cup 100.

An ultrasonic cutting and fusing machine 200 for conducting ultrasoniccutting and fusing is depicted in FIGS. 19 and 20, available under ModelNo. GC-50S manufactured from Golden Casting Company (Hong Kong, CN). Theultrasonic cutting and fusing machine 200 has an ultrasonic cutting andfusing blade 202 adapted for simultaneously cutting and fusing layers offabric by the dissipation of ultrasonic energy. In order toultrasonically fuse layers of fabric together, the fabric layers maycontain a significant amount of thermoplastic material. Thethermoplastic material, under the influence of ultrasonic energy, maysoften or melt and subsequently solidify when no longer subjected toultrasonic energy, thus leaving a fused surface in a narrow marginaledge adjacent to the cut. The fused surfaces may be rough. Because themarginal edge produced by such ultrasonic fusing may be narrow, if notnegligible, by turning the fabric layers inside out, the rough outerfusion surfaces may be hidden between the fabric layers, therebyexposing only the smooth inner surfaces and forming a seamless edge.

Two layers of fabric may be joined together by ultrasonically cuttingand stamping the peripheral edge portions of the fabric layers using anultrasonic stamp-cutting machine. An example of an ultrasonicstamp-cutting machine is Model No. SUW 4215 manufactured by K. Sonic(Shanghai, CN). In another embodiment, the ultrasonic stamp-cuttingmachine may be employed to join fabric panels together by ultrasonicallystamping the peripheral edge portions of the fabric panels andsimultaneously removing the peripheral edges by cutting.

The ultrasonic stamp-cutting machine may have an ultrasonic cutting andstamping blade adapted for simultaneously cutting and stamping thelayers of fabric, thereby removing raw edges and forming lines offusion. Turning the layers of fabric inside out along the lines offusion may then form seamless edges. Although it has been shown that anultrasonic cutting and fusing machine may be employed to join two layersof fabric together, it is appreciated that other suitable machines maybe employed.

While the examples of the methods and products have been described, itshould be understood that the methods and products are not so limited,and modifications may be made. The scope of the method and products isdefined by the appended claims, and all methods and products that comewithin the meaning of the claims, either literally or by equivalence,are intended to be embraced therein.

1. A method of joining fabric panels to manufacture an article ofapparel, comprising the steps of: providing a first fabric panel and asecond fabric panel; overlapping said first and second fabric panels toform a superimposed peripheral portion; connecting said first and secondfabric panels together at said superimposed peripheral portion;ultrasonically cutting and fusing the connected first and second fabricpanels at said superimposed peripheral portion to form a line of fusionjoining said first and second fabric panels; and turning said joinedfirst and second fabric panels inside out along said line of fusion toform a seamless edge.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein said connectingcomprises stitching the first and second fabric panels together to forma line of stitching.
 3. The method of claim 2, wherein saidultrasonically cutting and fusing is along a line that is generallyparallel to and spaced apart inwardly from said line of stitching. 4.The method of claim 2, wherein said ultrasonically cutting and fusingcomprises removing said line of stitching.
 5. The method of claim 1,wherein said first fabric panel comprises a first peripheral portion;the method further comprising providing a stabilizing strip, and fixedlyattaching said stabilizing strip along the first peripheral portion ofsaid first fabric panel, prior to said connecting.
 6. The method ofclaim 5, wherein said attaching comprises applying at least one of heatand pressure to a thin thermal adhesive film provided on an underside ofsaid stabilizing strip.
 7. A method of manufacturing a breast cup of abrassiere, comprising the steps of: providing a pad comprising a firstedge portion and a second edge portion; providing a fabric covercomprising a third edge portion and a fourth edge portion; superimposingsaid first and third edge portions; connecting said superimposed firstand third edge portions together; superimposing said second and fourthedge portions; connecting said superimposed second and fourth edgeportions together; ultrasonically cutting and fusing said connectedfirst and third edge portions to form a first line of fusion joiningsaid pad and said fabric cover; ultrasonically cutting and fusing saidconnected second and fourth edge portions to form a second line offusion joining said pad and said fabric cover; and turning said joinedpad and fabric cover inside out along said first and second lines offusion to form seamless edges.
 8. The method of claim 7, wherein saidconnecting said superimposed first and third edge portions comprisesstitching said superimposed first and third edge portions together toform a first line of stitching.
 9. The method of claim 8, wherein saidultrasonically cutting and fusing said connected first and third edgeportions is along a line that is generally parallel to and spaced apartinwardly from said first line of stitching.
 10. The method of claim 9,wherein said ultrasonically cutting and fusing said connected first andthird edge portions comprises removing said first line of stitching. 11.The method of claim 7, wherein said connecting said superimposed secondand fourth edge portions comprises stitching said superimposed secondand fourth edge portions together to form a second line of stitching.12. The method of claim 11, wherein said ultrasonically cutting andfusing said connected second and fourth edge portions is along a linethat is generally parallel to and spaced apart inwardly from said secondline of stitching.
 13. The method of claim 12, wherein saidultrasonically cutting and fusing said connected second and fourth edgeportions comprises removing said second line of stitching.
 14. Themethod of claim 7, further comprising providing a first stabilizingstrip and fixedly attaching said stabilizing strip along said first edgeportion of said pad, prior to connecting said superimposed first andthird edge portions.
 15. The method of claim 14, wherein said attachingcomprises applying at least one of heat and pressure to a thin thermaladhesive film provided on an underside of said first stabilizing strip.16. The method of claim 7, further comprising providing a secondstabilizing strip and fixedly attaching said stabilizing strip alongsaid second edge portion of said pad, prior to connecting saidsuperimposed second and fourth edge portions.
 17. The method of claim16, wherein said attaching comprises applying at least one of heat andpressure to a thin thermal adhesive film provided on an underside ofsaid second stabilizing strip.
 18. A breast cup, comprising: a pad; afabric cover attached to said pad; and a bagged out seamless edgebetween said pad and said fabric cover.
 19. The breast cup of claim 18,wherein said seamless edge comprises a line of fusion between said padand said fabric cover.
 20. The breast cup of claim 18, wherein said padcomprises an inner breast-receiving layer.
 21. The breast cup of claim20, wherein said inner breast-receiving layer comprises a thermoplasticmaterial.
 22. The breast cup of claim 18, wherein said pad is made of amaterial selected from the group consisting of nylon, polyester,spandex, foam and combinations thereof.
 23. The breast cup of claim 18,wherein said fabric cover comprises an elastic material selected fromthe group consisting of nylon, polyester, spandex and combinationsthereof.
 24. The breast cup of claim 19, wherein said line of fusioncomprises a stabilizing strip attached to said pad.
 25. The breast cupof claim 24, wherein said stabilizing strip is made of nylon.
 26. Abrassiere, comprising: two of the breast cups of claim 18 affixed toeach other, to a back band, and to shoulder straps.